Russia Will Be the Most Significant Threat to U.S. National Security in the Next Ten Years

RUSSIA IS A THREAT TO THE US MILITARY
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INTRODUCTION
The military of any nation is mandated with maintaining the security of the country. However, there are instances when the military faces threats from other nations or from within the nation. The United States has a military that is well equipped with the major responsibility of protecting its nationals. The US being a superpower happens to have limited countries that can pose a threat to their military since it is endowed with workforce and equipment. Countries with advanced military technology stand out as the greatest threats to the US Military. Russia is the primary threat to the US Military because its conduct is alarming when it comes to matters pertaining security. Russia has been behaving aggressively since 2008, thereby posing security concerns to nations. Russia represents a threat to the military of the United States for the next decade since it has a rich arsenal of weapons and has aggressive conduct.
Numerous nations across the globe have nuclear capabilities, but the sole nation that could use their nuclear know-how to destroy American citizens together with the military is Russia.1 Over ninety percent of the nuclear artilleries in the world are under the control of Russia and the United States. The United States is not reliant on its nuclear weapons for war, but Moscow relies on its nuclear artilleries. Russia has been reliant on nuclear warfare since it has not been in a position to invest in new warfare technologies like the US.

Unless Russia manages to invest in other forms of war innovations, it will rely on its nuclear arsenal to combat attacks originating from America. Further, Russia’s nuclear weapons are well positioned making it possible to launch over ninety percent of them with fractions of an hour. Therefore, Russia will
be a threat to the greatest military on earth since it is endowed with nuclear weapons that are easy to launch if the West attacks the country.
Secondly, Russia poses a threat to the United States since it is endowed with a vast array of cyber criminals that are regularly carrying out cyber-attacks on the West. Russia faces a financial crisis that has caused numerous people to lose their jobs including IT specialists. Hacker groups have been formed by individuals that have lost jobs and have a notion that the economic crisis originated from the West2. Hackers from Russia target civil infrastructure and the military of countries such as the US. Russian hackers aim at getting unauthorized access to military and political information that jeopardize the security of Western nations.2 Russia further poses a threat to the US Military for giving asylum to fugitives running away from the US for releasing classified information without authority. It becomes easy for sabotage attacks to be carried out if Russia gives asylum to individuals that divulge sensitive information regarding the US. Edward Snowden might act as an informant to Russia on how the US Military operates regarding preparedness for war. Therefore, when Moscow acquires such sensitive information, it is likely to be a threat to the security of America. For the next decade, Russia will be a risk to the military of the US since it can obtain classified data from the numerous hacker organizations found in the nation. In addition to the hacker groups, Russia is giving asylum to individuals having information regarding the security of the Western nations.3 Therefore, the proficiency of Russia’s hacker teams and its ability to get classified information makes this nation a threat to the US Military.
Additionally, the United States Navy has reported that there has been an increase in the activities of the Russian Navy in most parts of the world. The increased naval activities include missiles being fired from the Caspian Sea by Russian ships, numerous events in North Atlantic that involve Russian submarines and the increased number of Russian navy personnel and infrastructure in the Pacific region. Aircraft from Russia have also been reported to fly over ships belonging to the United States. Russian activities are a threat to the globe, but their threats seem to be inclined towards the US. Therefore, if Russia continues with its military activities across the globe especially in regions close to the United States, then it is going to be a threat to the US Military.
CONCLUSION
In finality, Russia is going to be a threat to the security of numerous nations and the US will suffer the biggest blow. The US and Moscow control over ninety percent of the nuclear weapons in the globe, but the latter is over dependent on the nuclear artilleries. Russia is ready to use its nuclear weapons hence posing a threat to the US. Further, Russia carries out cyber-attacks that target the politics and security agencies of the Western states. Cyber-attacks will give Russia access to classified information of the Western countries hence posing security threats to the military of nations like the US. Russian naval activities across the globe will further pose threats to the US Military. Therefore, if Russia’s behavior persists, then it will be a threat to the US Military for the next decade.

Notes
“Russia’s ‘Loose Nukes’: The Continuing Threat to American Security,” Harvard – Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, accessed December 9, 2016, http://belfercenter.ksg.harvard.edu/publication/882/russias_loose_nukes.html.”Cybersecurity Policy: 7 Key Elements for a Strong Cybersecurity Defense,” The Heritage Foundation, accessed December 9, 2016, http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2013/04/a-congressional-guide-seven-steps-to-us-security-prosperity-and-freedom-in-cyberspace.”Russian Threat Perceptions and Security Policies: Soviet Shadows and Contemporary Challenges,” The Journal of Power Institutions in Post-Soviet Societies – Pipss.org, accessed December 9, 2016, https://pipss.revues.org/4000.
Bibliography

“Cybersecurity Policy: 7 Key Elements for a Strong Cybersecurity Defense.” The Heritage Foundation. Accessed December 9, 2016. http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2013/04/a-congressional-guide-seven-steps-to-us-security-prosperity-and-freedom-in-cyberspace.

“Russian Threat Perceptions and Security Policies: Soviet Shadows and Contemporary Challenges.” The Journal of Power Institutions in Post-Soviet Societies – Pipss.org. Accessed December 9, 2016. https://pipss.revues.org/4000.

“Russia’s ‘Loose Nukes’: The Continuing Threat to American Security.” Harvard – Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs. Accessed December 9, 2016. http://belfercenter.ksg.harvard.edu/publication/882/russias_loose_nukes.html.